Cleaner.



PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905.

J. KRAUS.

CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.19.1905.

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PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KRAUS, OF STEUBENVILLE, OHIO.

CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

Application filed April 19, 1905- Serial N0. 256,472-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN KRAUs, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Steubenville. in the county of Jefferson and Stateof Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cleaners,of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in tongs,and more particularly to tongs employed for cleansing articles.

The invention aims to provide a pair of tongs in which a piece of clothor linen can be easily gripped and manipulated to cleanse the interiorof articles having peculiar configurations.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pair of tongs eachmember of which is provided with an auxiliary clamping member whereby apiece of cloth ora sponge may be readily placed in each member of thetongs and manipulated to cleanse an article.

My improved tongs are particularly adapted for cleansing a lamp-chimney,globe, or like article the interior of which is diflicult to reach andcleanse.

My improved tongs are constructed of two members which are pivotedtogether so that the outer ends of said members can be sepa rated anydesired distance or one member operated independent of the other,whereby the interior corners and curved surfaces of chimneys, globes,and the like articles can be easily and quickly cleansed and polished.

The invention finally consists in the novel construction, combination,and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter. more fully describedand then specifically pointed outin the claims, and, referring to thedrawings accompanying this application, like numerals of referencedesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in whichFigurel isafrontelevation of myimproved tongs. Fig. 2 is an edge view ofthe same.

a Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the end of one of themembers comprising my improved tongs. Fig. 4 is a similar View of one ofthe ends of one of the members of my improved tongs; and Fig. 5 is anenlarged vertical sectional view of a portion of my improved tongs,illustrating the pivotal connection between the members of said tongs.Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a portion of one of themembers, taken at right angles to that shown in Fig. 3.

To put my invention into practice, I construct my improved tongs of twomembers 1 and 2, each of these members consisting of a curved stem orshank portion 3, carrying a curved handle 4 upon its one end, while theother end is bent outwardly, as indicated at 5, and serrated, asindicated at 6. Each member is substantially round and the stem or shankportion is hollow, as indicated at 7, to form a recess in which a partof the operating mechanism of my improved tongs is mounted.

Reference will first be had to Figs. 1 and 5, wherein I have illustratedthe pivotal connection formed between the members 1 and 2, and it willbe observed that this pivotal connection is formed adjacent to thehandles 4 4 of the members. The member 1 is provided with anoutwardly-extending pin 8, the end of which is provided with an annulargroove 9. The adjoining member 2 is recessed, as indicated at 10, toreceive the head ofthe pin 8, and upon the exterior of the member 2,adjacent to the recess 10, I slidably mount a button 11, carrying anupwardly-extending pin 12, which is normally held in the slot 9 of thepin 8 by a spring 14. To retain the button in engagement with the member2, 1 provide the member 2 with a headed pin 15, which passes through aslot 16, formed in a portion of the button and retains the button inengagement with the member 2, at the same time permitting it to be moveddownwardly when it is desired to disengage the pin 12 from the groove 9in order that the member 2 can be moved to disengage it from themember 1. To further retain the button in engagement with the member 2,the lower portion of the button, as indicated at 17. passes through aslot 18, formed in the member 2.

The upper end of the stem or shank portion 3 of each of the membersadjacent to the curved ends 5 thereof is slotted, as indicated at 19, toreceive the lower contracted end 20 of a clamping member 21, the upperend of said member being bent inwardly and serrated. as indicated at 22,similar to the curved end 5 of the stem or shank portion. The clampingmember is pivotally mounted upon a pin 23, transversely arranged withinthe stem or shank portion 3 of each of the members. The lower end of themember 21 is provided with a cam-surface 21, and upon the pin 23 I mounta block 24, having a slot 24 formed therein. The one side of the blockis provided with a cam-surface 24 adapted at times to engage thecam-surface 21 of the member 21. The block 24 is connected to a rod 26,as

indicated at 25. An upward movement of the rod 26 is adapted to forcethe cam-surface 24 into engagement with the cam-surface 21 and open theauxiliary clamping member, while the downward movement of said strapcauses the strap to impinge against the lower edge of the auxiliarymember 21 and close said member. A pin 28 is connected to the lower endof the rod 26 by a cross-pin 27 and the pin 28 extends through a slot 30and is formed with a button 29, by means of which the pin 28 can bemoved up and down, so as to move the rod 26 and block 24.

The operation of my improved tongs is as follows: We will assume thatthe tongs are to be employed for cleansing the interior of a lampchimney or globe and that a piece of linen or cloth is to be used forthis purpose. A piece of linen or cloth is clamped in each of themembers 1 and 2 of my improved tongs by pushing upwardly upon thebuttons 29 29,

causing the clamping members 21 21 to open,

whereby the piece of cloth can be gripped between the serrated ends ofeach member. A downward movement of the button causes the clampingmember 21 to close against the upper end 5 of each member and retain thecloth therebetween, so that it can be manipulated to cleanse thechimney. The ends of the tongs are now placed in the chimney, and as theinterior contour of the chimney varies the handles 4. 4 of the tongs canbe closed or opened to cause the ends of the tongs carrying the cloth toengage all parts of the interior surface of the chimney.

It will be observed that my improved tongs have stem or shank portionsof a considerable length and that they are pivoted near their lowerends, whereby a considerable expansion of the upper ends of the tongscan be accomplished, which is necessary, for instance, when cleansinglarge globes.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A pair of tongs of the character described comprising two membersdetachably pivoted together, a handle carried upon one end of eachmember, the opposite end of each member being curved, a clamping-jawpivotally mounted in the curved end of each member, a sliding blockarranged in each member and engaging each said jaw, a button slidablymounted upon each member, and connected to said sliding block, wherebysaid member can be adjusted relatively to the curved end of each member,substantially as described.

2. A pair of tongs of the character described comprising two membersdetachably pivoted together, the ends of said members being bentoutwardly, a clamping-jaw pivotally mounted in one end of each memberand opposing the end of said member, and means to adjust theclamping-jaw, substantially as described.

3. A pair of tongs of the character described comprising two membersdetachably pivoted together, pivoted clamping-jaws carried by the endsof said members, and means mounted within said members to adjust saidjaws, substantially as described.

in testimony whereofI affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN KRAUS.

W'itnesses:

W. A. CABLE, A. G. MCDONALD.

